BC Cook
BANZAI Cliff on the far north end of the island is one the most beautiful spots on Saipan. It is no coincidence that the location is home to one of the most dramatic and disturbing historical events here. By reading the information boards on the site, or talking to the well-versed and friendly security guard, a tourist can learn something of the history of the place.
The troubled story of Banzai is the reason why so many come to quietly reflect, document, and pray. A visitor can usually spot a turtle in the water, and some say they regularly see dolphins and whales passing by. The water spouts of Banzai are breathtaking, as plumes roar dozens of feet into the air, occasionally misting the viewer. The bodies are long gone. The monuments are all that remain as a reminder of the tragedy that came to this place eighty years ago.
In the summer of 1944, as the Second World War ground to conclusion, the battle of Saipan raged in white-hot intensity. After much fighting, the Japanese realized the cause was lost. Indeed, leaders knew that their goal was only to slow the American war machine down, while troops on other islands, and the homeland itself, prepared to repel the enemy. They bought time with their lives and sold it dearly.
Japanese military propaganda convinced soldiers and civilians alike that a nightmare awaited them if they were to fall into the hands of the advancing Americans. They could expect torture, humiliation, rape and other brutality, and then would die a horrible death in the end. Better, they were told, to choose their own time, place, and means of death. For thousands, the choice was Banzai Cliff.
No one knows who jumped first. The stories are as numerous as the victims. Thousands of Japanese soldiers jumped from the cliffs onto the rocks below, while others landed in the water and drowned. As the American forces approached, some tried to dissuade the suicidal stream but to no avail. Civilian Japanese, and even islanders, met their end on this distant shore. Many had second thoughts but were thrown or pushed.
One man was seen to throw his children and wife over the cliff to their deaths, but then lost his nerve and did not jump. He lived, cursed by the memories of what he had done. One woman, pregnant and deep into labor, jumped off the cliff. She was found floating, the tiny body partially emanating from the womb, also dead. American forces, using interpreters with loudspeakers, encouraged the Japanese to surrender with honor, promising them safe treatment but very few accepted the offer.
By the time the carnage ended, thousands of bodies littered the waters around the north point, and the cliffs earned a name they have carried ever since. American sailors were sent to look for survivors among the bodies but few were found. Some were pulled from the water only to jump back in and swim to the depths to drown themselves. Some were rescued but later succumbed to their wounds. It was one of the most horrific tales in a war where horrific was an overused adjective. There were other battles on other islands but there was no repeat of what happened at Banzai Cliff on Saipan. Soldiers participated in suicidal charges into enemy guns, others held their positions until overwhelmed by their foes, and individual suicides took place, but the senseless self-destruction of thousands of soldiers and civilians made this place different, macabre, gruesome.
Today, Banzai Cliff is a strikingly beautiful spot on a strikingly beautiful island. As tourists look out over the expanse of ocean they can imagine what took place here not so long ago. Many Japanese already know the tale; often it is what draws them here. Perhaps they knew of someone who made their last decision on this spot. Perhaps they are looking for peace that someone else was denied.
Dr. BC Cook taught history for thirty years and is a director and Pacific historian at Sealark Exploration (sealarkexploration.org). He currently lives in Hawaii.
